1024x768, 33yr old man looking for some QUALITY ADVISE!!HELP

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Seriously, I'm not going to use sm3.0, help me on my decision

  • x850xt for $164 - 179usd

    Votes: 11 23.4%

  • x1800gto - $199

    Votes: 32 68.1%

  • something else in the range all but 7600gt

    Votes: 4 8.5%
  • Total voters
    47
Some how Half Life 2 and Lost Coast manage to support HDR with the X800 series. Im still not sure how they did it though.
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All Radeons 9500 and up can do HDR. HDR debuted with the Radeon 9700 way back in the day.

There is a specific mode of HDR that only SM 3.0 cards can use however, called OpenEXR.

It is this OpenEXR method of HDR that SM2.0 cards can't do, and it's this mode of HDR that Nvidia cards can't use AA in conjunction with.
 
Good point, and just like the guy said before you. HDR really makes a difference in the look and feel of the game though?
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HDR makes a very big difference in visual fidelity, and screenshots don't do it justice. It's once of those features that, once you turn it on, you never want to have it off... without HDR a game looks flat and lifeless in comparison.

Honestly, OpenEXR HDR is the one (and only) feature that SM 3.0 cards offer that offers any appreciable visual difference over SM 2.0 cards.

OpenEXR HDR is why I'd consider the 7600 GT better than an X850 XT. (yes, I mentioned the 7600 GT. Don't get your panties in a knot, it's quite relevant to the conversation.).

Keep in mind also, OpenEXR HDR is only used in a handful of titles... Age of Empires 3, Oblivion, Serious Sam II, and Far Cry (with a patch)... othere than that most games don't offer it as an option, not even newer games like Quake 4.

Having said all that, if you're considering an upgrade I'd heartily reccomend an X1800 GTO @ the $200 price point if you are at all comfortable with overclocking. At mild overclocks they perform like 16-pipeline X1800 XLs, and at high clocks they get into the X1800 XT realm.
 
I think you would be happy with the X850. And you could probably use the cash towards gas for that Monte!!! Really for guys looking to be froogle but with taste a DX10 card means nothing. Go with your instincts you will want something better by Vista anyway. Computers unlike cars really never attain a sense of timeless performance. They are like economy sport compacts, once they no longer serve their purpose or you can afford better you upgrade.
 
If your willing to wait a week or two, the 1900gt or 1900gto (whatever ATI is going to call it) will be out. Depending on its price, it might be the perfect solution for you. It's a similiar card to the 1800gto, but benefits from the 1900xt generation of improvements. Depending on the Game HDR changes, but I've played games that look terrible with bloom and excellent with HDR and HDR does seem to be the future, bloom the past...
 
Ahh, the x850 is not exactly dead. I'd go for that to tide you over until dx10 and Vista. It'll be out in within a year (maybe) and then there'll be a brand new wave of video cards to support all the new fanciness of DX10. Sure the x850 can't do HDR, but as of now you can't have HDR and AA on at the same time and I'd rather have AA.
On that note you may not want to jump to PCIe yet. Vista and DX10 will probably require yet another mobo to be up to par. Just hold off on the big upgrade and get an x850 for AGP. Other than the ability to dual card it up, PCI offers no other advantages.
Besides, depending on your CPU, your graphics card probably won't be your bottleneck with any of the cards you listed. Your processor will.
 
I hope he didn't buy a 144 and NOT overclock it. Assuming he did, It is not likely to be the bottleneck. But you make a good point about PCIe, it's biggest advantage is in price for new cards, the AGP cards now have a premium and less demand making them more expensive for the performance. Dual cards for 1024x768 sure wouldn't help, either (probably lower your frame rate, actually)
 
First Id like to say that Im a 32 year old woman, lol.
Ahhhhem.....Aceprowler, Aceprowler, Aceprowler.

Please keep the stupid and obviously no knowledge of computers and start your own post to help you with your OWN question.
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Aceprowler, I think we all here agree that YOU are the one with no knowledge of computers. Need proof?

I already tried an eVGA 6800gs, wow!! What a difference, in windows xp loading, my games, but had to send it back. I bought a AGP board because in case I needed a back up card, I could use my ATI. Well, screw that idea now. I am going to PCI, because of HOW CHEAP PCI cards are getting.
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First of all they havent made pci video cards for YEARS. At least anything decent that would play a game. Secondly, its called pci-express. How did you put it to the other poster, geek boy I think it was? Thirdly you cant use a pci-e card on an agp motherboard. Now if you knew ANYTHING about computers, you would have known those three things.

I’m one that, well as you can tell, I don’t want to pay for the best just yet. I would like to wait it out, and make good use out of my card as I have with my 9700pro. I’ve had the Ti 4600, 9800xt, 5900, and 6800gs and ending up going back.
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So whatever we recommend to your tight ass, your going to return anyways right? So whats the point?
I also dont think that having a 1986 monte carlo ss is anyones life dream.

I think after your long rant of a post dissing other posters deserves an apology. You said you wish they could weed people like that out? Well, at least speaking for myself, I wish they could weed out tight ass, ignorant people such as yourself.

Have a nice day :roll:
 
NOT HELPING. I totally get your point and the points of others, but can't we all just ignore a bit and try to help, or not bother saying anything? (If you haven't anything nice to say......) But I honestly have to ask how you are typing from a computer underwater (I know it's possible, it just seems like an unlikely place to post from.). How about you let us know what you're up to down there? (I know it's off post, forbidden....) :)
PS - I said "UP to DOWN there" 😉
 
The mid-80s Monte Carlos are definitely the badest ass looking ones of all the years. With a stout 350 and a posi they haul ass. But definitely not a dream car. My dream car is a 67-69 Camaro with an LS2, 6 speed, 12 bolt with 3.73s, 13" brakes in the front, blue with white stripes, and nice wheels.

Here's what I have to settle for for now.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/565818
 
Sorry Cleeve, funniest thing I've heard all day seems to be the same everyday: (I'm a service manager for a mitsubishi dealership)

"How can I convert my lancer into an Evolution?"
 
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7727454&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01151&id=1138088147244
7727454_sa.jpg


and shut ur yapper. just like a typical cop, a know it all, that doesn't want to hear anything but what he asks for. :smh:
 
And as Cleeve and I both know, the 6800U has almost no headroom on the core. My BFG is 425/1100 out of the box as opposed to 400/1100. Max OC is only 435/1210. :cry:
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Yeah. Crappy overclockers for sure, I put an Arctic Cooling NV5 (if I remember correctly) on mine and it didn't make a lick of difference.

I'll tell you something though Paul... I've been doing some more hardware review stuff, and 've had a chance to play with a 7600 GT... I tried it in Far Cry with HDR and it was very smooth. Surprised the hell out of me, it was nowhere near as slow as my old 6800 U rig. Only about 10 fps slower than my X1800 XL (at stock 500/500 speeds).

I'm beginning to wonder if the 7600 GT isn't a much better HDR candidate than I used to think. I know my CPU is much better than the AthlonXP I used to use the 6800 ultra with was, I dunno if it's making the difference, but I'll tell you man... the 7600 GT is a viable HDR'er. I'm changing my tune on this one after seeing it in action.


When did you get an X1800 XT, by the way? Damn, I must've missed it. You enjoying it?
 
First Id like to say that Im a 32 year old woman, lol.
Ahhhhem.....Aceprowler, Aceprowler, Aceprowler.

Please keep the stupid and obviously no knowledge of computers and start your own post to help you with your OWN question.
Click to expand...

Aceprowler, I think we all here agree that YOU are the one with no knowledge of computers. Need proof?

I already tried an eVGA 6800gs, wow!! What a difference, in windows xp loading, my games, but had to send it back. I bought a AGP board because in case I needed a back up card, I could use my ATI. Well, screw that idea now. I am going to PCI, because of HOW CHEAP PCI cards are getting.
Click to expand...

First of all they dont make pci video cards anymore. At least anything decent that would play a game. Secondly, its called pci-express. How did you put it to the other poster, geek boy I think it was? Thirdly you cant use a pci-e card on an agp motherboard. Now if you knew ANYTHING about computers, you would have known those three things.

I’m one that, well as you can tell, I don’t want to pay for the best just yet. I would like to wait it out, and make good use out of my card as I have with my 9700pro. I’ve had the Ti 4600, 9800xt, 5900, and 6800gs and ending up going back.
Click to expand...

So whatever we recommend to your tight ass, your going to return anyways right? So whats the point?
I also dont think that having a 1986 monte carlo ss is anyones life dream.

I think after your long rant of a post dissing other posters deserves an apology. You said you wish they could weed people like that out? Well, at least speaking for myself, wish they could weed tight ass, ignorant people such as yourself.

Have a nice day :roll:

WTF, stay with the topic at hand. You spammers need to be weeded out, really!

First off, listen here bish,

We all know that PCI is PCI-E, if you would read, it's helpful, REALLY, it is, then you would have seen that I was already corrected and stated very clearly, that my PCI TYPO’S are correctly PCI-E. Dah, who the hell would put a PCI card in a gaming system you moron, I even have in a poll x850xt o, I forgot, it’s made in PCI. Your rants are just as hideous as the life you live. Don’t make some stories up, your typing intelligence has already impressed me women!

2nd, my car is an 87, not an 86. It’s my summer ride if you know what that means!

Surely, once again the reading downfall AGAIN!! 32yrs of age, and still having to put a man down for what he loves to do, CAN YOU SAY, GROW UP?

Go CLEAN YOU’RE HOUSE, DO SOME LAUNDRY!

Thanks again all your followers of this flaming bish. But then again, most of you on here are looking for attention and nothing other.

At least I had my questions answered before the kids come home from school and ruin it for everyone. 32yr old women doing the same as little kids, that is too funny!

Thanks for ruining my question. I will be sure to follow yours and flame on your questions.
 
The only bad thing about the X850XT is that it doesn't support HDR. To some HDR matters to others it doesn't as long as the card gives good grahpics and good performance.

Whatever card you end up going with just make sure it will last you at least two years, you want to get your money's worth. Considering that you game at 1024x768 resolution, that really shouldn't be a problem. Getting a X1800XT or 7900GT is an overkill for that resolution, but they can probably last up to 4 years and still provide decent/good performance at that resolution. By then DirectX 11 will likely be a hot topic.
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Good point, and just like the guy said before you. HDR really makes a difference in the look and feel of the game though?

See these are the objections I wanted to see. I did not know about this. Now I do, and will have to reconsider. Please keep em coming. I would much rather invest in a card that will last then a card as the x850xt that is almost dead now. But at the start of this post, I did not know this.

Get me right, I make good money. I don't like to blow money, and to me, an x1800xt or 7900gt was doing just that and in the benchmarks that I had seen, the x850xt was close in most stages of the game.

Thanks guys!! Keep it coming!!


Well one thing to realize is that while HDR looks a little better than Bloom it also takes alot more processing power to fully utilize and still maintain good framerates. With that being said that would put you right back in the price range of the X1800XT or 7900GT if you want playable framerates with HDR. No one in their right mind would argue that Oblivion looks bad while playing it with bloom instead of HDR, sure the difference is their but its not that great. How many games do you know of that require you to have HDR enabled? None that I can think of.

If the soul purpose of this upgrade is to hold you over till DX10 then do yourself a favor and get the X850XT and dont look back. For the price you simply cannot beat the performance you are going to get out of this card. Plain and simple.
 
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7727454&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01151&id=1138088147244
7727454_sa.jpg


and shut ur yapper. just like a typical cop, a know it all, that doesn't want to hear anything but what he asks for. :smh:
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First of all you would have to be a moron to buy that card when you can get an X850XT for less than that and run circles around it :roll:

As for the cop comment you can think what you want to think about me but just remember one thing.....when its your ass thats in trouble we are the ones you call. 8)
 
With that being said that would put you right back in the price range of the X1800XT or 7900GT if you want playable framerates with HDR.
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The X1800 GTO or 7600 GT will handle OpenEXR HDR nicely, providing you have a decent platform...
 
Dude! You're Hired!

Seriously, though, please tell are fellow copper not to shop at Bestbuy or Bestbuy.com or Circuit City, or...... ETC ETC.....

Secondly,
Monte Carlo SS's are pretty nice for the money. You can't compare them to new cars, cause you aren't paying new car price for them. Personally, I don't like Monte's. But it is really hard to make fun of any platform you can drop a built 383 in for cheap. If you know something about cars, do you're homework, even in 2006, you can't beat the price/performance of the smallblock chevy (oks sometimes the small block Ford comes REALLY close, but these two are the only real competitors). Secondly, I do not endorse Ace or MrsD's comments. Really wish people could ask for and give advice without taking things personally. No sense in name calling, spend your time more productively elsewhere.

Quality- Oblivion is not a First Person Shooter.
Thus, it does not need to have excessively high framerates.

In conclusion, I play Oblivion at 1024x768 with my 7600GS with HDR enabled and I have a great time doing it.

PS - My name is D, MrsD is no relation of mine, but I do take offense from all those who choose to be offensive (Why can't we all get along?)
 
Wow thats all you could come up with to defend you computer ignorance?
Summer ride...Rofl. That one gets me. You must be from Chicaaaago.
Down here we drive the same car year round. Unless we got the geets for a Mercedes of course then we drive a different car every day.
Go clean the house, do some laundry.... that was witty, your a sharp one arent you?
I can tell by your tight ass that your wife wears the pants in that house. You returned the last 4 video cards you bought and your asking for advice on the next one? Just so your wife can tell you to return it too!?
I bet your looking for a video card that will speed up your windows boot times huh, lol? Get a life, and stop wasting our time. :roll:
 
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